Tongue And Oral Piercing Aftercare Instructions

Rinse the inside of your mouth each time you eat, smoke, drink, or put anything in your mouth except water. Rinse with LISTERINE mixed ½ water ½ Listerine for the next TWO WEEKS. During the first few days, you can suck on ice cubes. If you like, you can also make ice cubes out of your favorite teas. You might also alternate from hot to cold drinks as well, to reduce the swelling (like a hot/cold compress). Important: There will be a lessened chance of the barbell coming undone if you tighten the balls on the barbell before and after you eat and sleep. After ten days, start brushing the balls on the top and bottom of the barbell when you brush your teeth. This avoids a tartar build-up from forming on the balls which makes it impossible to remove them. Once the swelling in your tongue has gone down, wait two weeks and then purchase a shorter barbell. Shortening the length of the barbell will reduce the chance of biting the balls and will provide added comfort. Hence, you can change your barbell after 3 weeks of having your tongue pierced. Avoid oral contact of any kind for three or four weeks following an oral piercing. Remember, you have an open sore in your mouth and are at higher risk for infections, etc. Avoid drinking beer or wine for two weeks, hard liquor is OKAY. There may be a white mucus-like substance that will come from the piercing. This is normal and is just white blood cells and dead bacteria. This will not be a permanent feature of your new tongue piercing and should cease within a couple of weeks. There could also be the formation of `dents’ in the swollen tissue of the tongue from where the balls of the barbell rest. These may remain after the swelling has gone down but will become less obvious over time and eventually go away

Things To Do
  • Keep your new piercing clean and follow the instructions given.
  • Be careful with your new piercing. Bumps and bangs can do damage to the healing tissue and possibly offset the piercing or cause bumps.
  • Eat healthy while trying to heal a piercing, especially if the piercing is a tongue piercing.
  • Keep your new piercing clean and follow the instructions given.
Things Not To Do
  • Do NOT rinse with anything else other than an oral rinse or Listerine, no scope, etc… If you are not sure, ask.
  • Do NOT use Polysporin or ointments.
  • Do NOT allow oral contact with the piercing.
  • Do NOT play rough with a new piercing.
  • Do NOT ever remove the jewelry unless you want to make the removal permanent! Even if it looks infected, call us first. If
    If you think you have had the piercing long enough to take it in and out, call us.
  • Do NOT have a piercing done if you are stressed out, ill, or on antibiotics. Your piercing could take longer to heal and suffer complications.
What to Expect from Your Healing Piercing

A piercing may look infected but not be infected. This is an “inflammatory response”. These are small red slightly swollen areas that occur around pierced areas occasionally during the healing process. There can also be a white discharge. Tongues swell and swelling can last anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks, however, the average is 3-7 days. You can take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, though this is not needed. Your tongue will also get a whitish layer on it; this will also go when the swelling does.

Signs of Infection

Infections in tongue piercings are rare, things to look for are greenish discharge, extensive swelling, and an odd taste.

If you get an infection, getting upset just makes things worse. Call us or come in, we can usually help. If not, we would be more than happy to work with a physician to help make it better. This does not have to be the end of your piercing. For other oral piercings, not tongue, please also, follow the facial aftercare instructions to maintain the health of your piercing.

Silverline-Piercing-Aftercare-Tounge-OralDownload